In the manufacture of honeycomb cell arrays, it is often difficult to hold the flexible honeycomb material in alignment for welding or bonding of the cell nodes together. The problem is particularly acute when the cells are small; for example, less than one twelfth inch across.
Heretofore, proper holding of the cells in alignment has been accomplished by the use of small indexing pins or balls. These pins or balls, whichever is used, interfere with the use of a continuous strip of brazing material when attempting to position the same between the nodes of the cells preparatory to bonding the nodes together. Further, the necessity for providing indexing pins or balls increases the overall cost of honeycomb cell production.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,598 assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, there is disclosed a basic method of brazing honeycomb and panel assemblies using a continuous strip of brazing material. This prior patent, however, does not deal with the specific problem of alignment of the honeycomb cell nodes for initial welding or bonding.
In copending patent application Ser. No. 364,808 filed Apr. 2, 1982 and entitled HONEYCOMB MANUFACTURING METHOD, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,381, also owned by the same assignee as the present application, there is taught a method of forming honeycomb cell arrays into a cylindrical configuration in which the lateral walls are maintained rectilinear; in other words, the "hourglass" effect is avoided. As in the case of the previous mentioned U.S. patent, this latter application is also not concerned with alignment of the nodes of the honeycomb cells preparatory to welding or bonding of the same.
It is to be understood, however, that the method of the present invention is applicable to the various operations described in both of the above-mentioned prior cases.